PREVAILING WITH GOD

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 829, 25 November 1929, Page 14

PREVAILING WITH GOD

LESSON FROM JACOB AND THE ANGEL WARNING TO UNBELIEVERS ‘■'Prevailing with God” was the subject of a sermon by Pastor Reuben E. Dowle in the Mount Roskill Congregational Church yesterday. He spoke from Genesis xxxii., 26, “And he said I will not let thee go unless thou bless me.” Here was the graphic picture of a human being wrestling with an omnipotent personal God, and winning success, said the preacher. There is a wonderful human touch in this incident. Sin in the form of selfishness had brought Jacob to this position, said Mr. Dowle. Conscience had acted as it always does, faithfully. Now Jacob was in one sense a coward, yet, in another, acting in liis own highest interests. Once haughty and ambitious, he now felt the necessity of repentance, and, if possible, restitution. Here, alone, he wrestled with an angel right through the night. At daybreak the strange visitor requested Jacob to let him go. Jacob refused, saying: “I will not let thee go unless thou bless me.” “In the 20th century prevailing prayer, perhaps too uncommon, Jacob is a wonderful example to all believers in Christ, and a warning to unbelievers,” said the preacher. Dependence on a personal God is clearly taught us. "In God we live and move and have our being.” Sinfulness is chargeable to mankind. Our will must, by importunity, seek God’s will. When in this attitude, wonderful things will be revealed. God’s methods of drawing from his creative man the best in him is well illustrated in this incident ol’ man wrestling with God. The puny efforts of mere intellectualism is well seen, too. Man wrestling with God. Jacob represents mighty faith in a person not an abstraction. We see, too, God’s willingness to help those who cail upon Him in the crises of life. Undaunted persistency is crowned with success. The dead past is repented of, aud freely forgiven. So wrestling Jacob can become prevailing Israel. Faith in Christ's atonement is the key to unlock the power of God.”